1. Problem Solving Strategies: Story Problems

2. STEP ONE Read the story problem through.
Read again to identify the important information (numbers & key words) you will need to solve the problem.
Make sure you know the question you are answering.

3. STEP TWO
Identifying what type of arithmetic you will need to do (based on key words)
Addition
Subtraction
Multiplication
Division

4. Addition Addition story problems often use words like: Sum More than
Increased by
Combined
Together
Total of
EXAMPLE:
Jane has 10 Barbie's and for her birthday she gets 3 more. How many Barbie’s does Jane have now? (10+3=?)

5. Subtraction Subtraction story problems often use words like:
Difference
Less than
Fewer than
Decreased by
Reduced by
(how many) More
(how many) Left
Minus
Take away
EXAMPLE:
If there are 10 cars in one parking and 6 fewer cars in the second parking lot. How many more cars are there in the second parking lot? (10-6=?)

6. Multiplication Multiplication story problems often use words like: Of
Times
Multiplied by
Product of
EXAMPLE:
If Mary has 3 pets and Annie has 2 times as many pets as Mary. How many pets does Annie have? (3x2=?)
{or “twice” as many}
12 is 25% of what number?
(12 = 0.25x)

7. Division Division word problems often use words like: Quotient Per
Each
Out of
Ratio of
EXAMPLES:
If Bobbi had 15 cookies and ate the same amount each day for 5 days how many did she eat per day? (15 / 5=? )
If Madison spent 3 hours doing homework the last 4 days, how much did she do each day? (3/4)
4 out of 5 dentists recommend flossing daily. (4/5)

8. STEP THREE Put the information into a useful form:
Write a Verbal Model
Write an Algebraic Model
Create a Table
Draw a Diagram

9. STEP FOUR Solve the Problem Does it fit a known type of Problem?
Interest : I =Prt
Distance: D=rt
Geometric: A = bh, C=2Π, V=1/3Bh
What type of solution is it? Numeric? Algebraic?
Are there answers you can eliminate?
Using one of the following strategies

10. Choose a Strategy to Solve the Problem:
Write an Equation or Inequality
Make a Table
Drawings and illustrations
Working Backwards (try given answers)
Guess and Check

11. WRITE AN EQUATION 3 drinks (John + 2 friends = 3) = 3d 1 pizza = 14.00
John and 2 friends are going out for a pizza for lunch. They split one pizza and 3 large drinks. The pizza costs $ After using a $7.00 gift certificate, the spend a total of $ What is the cost of one large drink.
3 drinks (John + 2 friends = 3) = 3d
1 pizza = 14.00
Discount = -7.00
Total = 12.10
3d – 7.00 = 12.10

12. MAKE A TABLE
Andy and his parents decided that for his allowance would go up one dollar and 50 cents every week for 3 consecutive weeks. If he starts out at getting 6 dollars how much would he make week 5?
Week
$ allowance 1
$6.00 2
$7.50 3
$9.00 4
$10.50 5
$12.00
$12.00

13. DRAWINGS AND ILLUSTRATIONS
Drawing a picture is a great way to solve word problems.
Makes it is easy to see WHY you get the answer.
EXAMPLE:
The length of a rectangle is 3 more than twice the width. If the Perimeter is 36 feet, how wide id the rectangle?
2w + 3
2w+3+w+2w+3+w = 36
6w +6 =36 w w
2w + 3

14. WORKING BACKWARDS
This works well for Multiple Choice Questions
A Camera manufacturer spends $2,100 a day plus $9 per camera. The cameras sell for $14 each. How many cameras must they sell to break even?
a) b) c) d) 150
( number of cameras) = 14(number of cameras)
(420) = 14(420) ? (hint start with the middle value)
(480) = 14(480) ?
(380) = 14(380) ?
(150) = 14(150) ?

15. GUESS AND CHECK
If two sisters ages add up to 22 years and one is 4 years older than the other what are there two ages?
Plan: Select random numbers that add up to 22
until you find two that are 4 apart.
10 and 12: 10+12=22 but 12-10=2 not 4;
8 and 14: 8+14= 22 but 14-8=6;
9 and 13: 9+13=22 and 13-9=4
so their ages are 9 and 13!

16. STEP FIVE Writing your answer to the story problem is the final step
When writing the answer there are a few things you have to remember
What are you trying to find
Your answer probably should be in units (mph, cups, or inches)
Answer should be in a complete sentence.

17. Examples of Answers
If Keri has 3 apples and 5 oranges how many more oranges does she have than apples?
Answer:
Keri has 2 more oranges than apples.